That's hot.

Roller skates are making a comeback. These outdated means of entertainment suddenly have popped up as a new trendy fashion statement. They are now playfully sexy and fashionably retro. They have shown up in Jessica Simpson's "A Public Affair" video featuring some of the hottest stars cruising around a rink in hot shorts. Even the edgy Kat Von D, along with some of her eccentric clients, of LA Ink have been seen sporting roller skates. In Austin there are the legendary Lonestar Rollergirls. The Rollergirls have managed to build an image that sexy and crazily competitive can go hand in hand. They wear tight shirts and short skirts to derby events. Their reputation has really grown, for it is considered quite an honor to be on the team. Ten years ago people would have thought it was strange a star was sporting roller skates, laughed at the idea of being sexy on a roller derby team, and considered it dated, not edgy, for someone to wear them.

AD

The ad I found for containing a signifier is actually I two page ad that ran side by side. It shows a "speed demon" and a Honda Fit. It is comparing in a iconic way. The speed demon represents what Honda is wanting the customer to associate the car with. The created the demon to look like the car so the viewer would see this.

Pay-It-Forward

Today I feel like I had a pay-it-forward moment. It was definitely little and could easily be over looked, but it caught me by surprise. Around noon I realized I wasn't going to be able to eat anything until about 6 that night, so I ran over to Subway in Hughes Trigg to grab a quick meal before my next class. I order my sandwich and grab a drink, and slowly sip on it in line. While the cashier rings up my items I dig through my bag for my wallet but am coming up with nothing. Frantically I search every corner of the bottom of my bag, but recognize it isn't there. Really embarrassed, I explain to the cashier that I don't know where it could possibly be, expecting her to take my sandwich and drink, only to throw it away later, or look to someone else to pick up the tab.... I really don't know what I expected her to do. But instead of doing anything like that, she puts her hand on my shoulder and says, "Just pay me the money tomorrow baby". Like I said, its little but that certainly wasn't the response I expected. Now a days, you don't see trust like that anymore. Most people, I feel, would go find a manager, or have me go find my wallet while they hold it, but she simply had faith that I would in fact come back with the $5. So I sincerely promised her she would see me tomorrow, and believe me, she most definitely will.

Suburbia

Suburbia can be creepy. Highland Park is a perfect example. Perfect little houses with perfect little yards and perfect little people living in them. Everything is just so picturesque. Too picturesque. A few nights ago we went exploring in this pristine little world and stumbled upon some pretty weird stuff. Someone, at sometime, thought that one thing that Highland Park was missing was creepy statues. Grant it these statues probably aren't meant to be creepy, but come across them at night in the dimly lit area they reside in, and boy, are they eerie. There are the bronze, emaciated elves randomly entertaining themselves with a variety of items such as a bugle, a squirrel, and a giant turtle. Then there's the giant teddy bears tucked away by the pond. I would love to know who thought Highland Park was in need of a huge teddy statue. But one of the weirdest things of all is the structure right next to the teddy bears. It's a big, brick warehouse looking building. At first I figured it was a water generator considering there is a waterfall on one side, but then I started to notice the artistic and carefully placed graffiti on the walls. Quotes about clay and water stretch across the walls, skimming the top of a steel door in the middle. There are no windows, and a strange metal roof lines the top. If you follow the metal walkaway at the far edge of the structure, it will lead you to an even stranger building. This house is shaped as a industrial pyramid, with multiple concrete tears and grass growing out of the top of each tear. It's apparent this is a residence only because of the address number on the side of the walkway, and the garbage and recycling cans placed out on the curb. I can't imagine what it would be like to live in a home like this with no windows and tucked away from plain view. "That looks like a place you would go into and never come out.", my friend said. I never would have imagined I would run into such a strange place in the heart of Highland Park, but I guess even Suburbia is not as what it seems.

Once

Last night, we ventured to The Angelika to see something other than a Will Ferrell comedy or Denzel Washington action-drama. Once, the movie we ended up choosing, really took us by surprise. This movie has been compared to Garden State, so we were expecting to be left thinking about life. They were able accomplish this in a really unique way. The writers were able to create these very relatable characters. Neither one of the two main characters were put on a pedestal; each had their own flaws and problems, problems that the average human being struggles with in their life. You could definitely sense there was chemistry between the two, but, as the viewer, I wasn't really sure if I wanted anything to happen between them. They developed this symbiotic relationship helping themselves, while helping one another at the same time. The duo was able to make beautiful music together, literally. The music created in the movie is unbelievable. Props to whoever wrote all the original songs.

Those were the days.

In hopes of making a little extra spending cash, I nanny two days a week. Arjun (2) and Rohan (4) are two of the little boys I sit for. They are at that age where nothing is as it seems. A plate can turn into a Frisbee, toothpaste can be paint, and a toy dinosaur can be your best friend. Their little imaginations surprise me everyday. I taught them about forts, a childhood staple, and soon enough blankets were protection shields and pillows were impenetrable walls. Their shanty shelter was made out of nothing but a fleece blanket and the support of the surrounding furniture, but yet they managed to transform it into a plush, cushiony palace. They smuggled food, toys, and stuffed animals underneath, creating a world that only the two of them knew and were allowed in. Watching them create this elaborate setting, it brought back the similar times when I was younger and did the same thing. I remembered how having a space all your own, like a fort or clubhouse, was one of the most fun aspects of childhood. Secret worlds and alternative lives were created between you and your friends, only to end when Mom called you in for dinner.

"Leave Britney Alone!"

I know I tend to use the word "obsessed" too commonly. I'll use it to describe my roommates interested in everything Green. I'll use it for my love for Arctic Monkeys. I'll, as well as my others, will over use it to the point of diminishing it's impact, but today I saw a real act of obsession. On the youtube video Britney Fan Cries, this fan really demonstrates what it means to be obsessed to the point of disillusionment. He cries and yells for Britney's pain, and defends her actions as if they were his own. Quite possibly the best part of the entire plea is the fact that he is clearly filming this from underneath his bed-sheets. More than likely this poor fan is no more than 15, and hiding under his blankets in order to drown out pounding fists of his parents on his bedroom door.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=cDDEhLw1PVI

All good things must come to an end.

Even though I live for ACL, I don't know how much more my body could take. My feet permanently hurt, my legs were stiff, and my shoulders, nose, and chest are sunburn, but it's totally worth it. The last day consisted of a beautiful performance by Ben Kweller, with no nose bleeds this time. It is incredible to me that he is able to put on such a good show even with such horrible "allergies". Bloc Party was after Ben and they may have put on one of the most exciting shows. The lead singer ended up running down the middle of the crowd with microphone in hand, still singing. We caught a few minutes of Regina Spektor, which was more than enough for me. She is such a talented artist but she acted like a four year old playing with a microphone for about a third of her performance. She made odd noises and would repeat the same phrase over and over and over and over again. It was rather disappointing. Wilco was much better. They were vivacious and energetic, but the best part of all was Marc Zupan from Murderball was there watching right in front of me. To end the festival, we laid out on the grass and listened to Bob Dylan, couldn't understand a word he said, but it was still a nice way to end things.

Fabuloso!

Concert etiquette is so funny. The second day of ACL I spent most of my time keeping my front row spot at the same stage, which was a task. After standing in the same spot for 5 hours, I got to know the people around me. We watched Paolo Nutini with a girl wearing all black in 95 degree weather. Frankly I am quite surprised she didn't keel over and pass out. Then for Blue October we made our way to the front row to meet a group of people camping out for a concert that was 4 hours later at that same stage. They chose to not stand during Blue October causing the people around them to get a bit agitated to say the least. Although I thought it was weird, I never thought people would be complaining that they could see better since the people in front of them were sitting down. This group held their ground even though fighting words were exchanged. We actually ended up befriending this group and found that even though they came off tough, they were really quite nice, even offered us their food. Eventually, they stood up once the Arctic Monkey's came on, and probably taught the complaining people a lesson since most of them stood at around 5'11.

It's finally here!

Today, I am that little kid that who is finally entering the gates to Disneyland. ACL has finally begun and of course it started off with a bang, literally. As we walk through the entrance, we see a huge cloud of smoke. Apparently a port-a-potty blew up.... that’s unfortunate...Moving beyond that incident, we were off to see Pete Yorn, John Ralston, M.I.A., Spoon, and The Killers. Pete Yorn was unexpectedly good, M.I.A. unfortunately bad, and The Killers utterly amazing! I was really disappointed with M.I.A.'s performance. She was pitchy, and frankly, I could attempt more impressive dance moves. Running in place is not a dance move, it’s a cardio exercise! The Killers most definitely lived up to their notable reputation. With an eccentric stage design, and the band member's high energy, Brandon Flowers had the crowded sea of listeners jumping and dancing with excitement. Along with the running from concert to concert, we ran into a few characters as well, old few from high school, few from college, and of course Leslie, Austin’s legendary cross dresser. You gotta love everything about ACL.

Government Property

I'm not a terribly rebellious person, but sometimes there are those moments where a little mischief can be just what is needed, and for some reason stealing government property always seems to do. My friends and I decided one night that everyone in our group needed a "Westlake Dr." street sign, after a little engineering and a lot of pep talks we wound up with about 5. Unfortunately one of my best friends ended up getting pulled over with one of them sitting in the back of her car... police don’t approve this recreational activity. Another case of confiscating government proper is when one of my friends wanted to get a state flag before he left to go out to college out of state. He soon realized how expensive real, genuine flags were. So he hopped over to the softball field at 3 am and pulled down the one there, only later to have his mother discover his prize and order him to return it to it's proper place back on the field.

Just waiting

In less than 24 hours I will be having the time of my life. In less than 24 hours is Austin City Limits. This 3 day concert is consistently one of the main highlights of my year, but the day before is always the worst. Every year the Thursday before ACL I find myself uncontrollably antsy and anxious. It's not the stressful, sick feeling of anxiety but the excited, unable to sit still anxiety. It's like when you were a little kid and it’s the night before you go to Disneyland. You can't sleep, can't relax, and can't stop yourself from driving your parents crazy. Now instead of jumping on my bed or running circles around the room, I find myself attempting to keep myself occupied other ways. Watching TV doesn't do it for me. The Internet becomes boring quickly, after all Facebook kind of loses its flare after the first 30 times of checking it in under an hour. Luckily for me our pantry is fairly bare, so resorting to eating out of sheer boredom is out of the question. Before I knew it, I found myself with a pen and paper sketching anything from ideas for a Homecoming float to an invitation I have been putting off designing. Having finally found something that could keep my mind busy, I wound up at Michaels the craft store. I skimmed the aisles grabbing paper, cheap little projects, and ribbons. I found that doing something to express my creativity and especially to use my brain was what kept me entertained the most, not TV or Facebook, although Facebook stalking can be pretty entertaining at times.

Why don't celebrities think for once?

For some reason I am still shocked when celebrities do things so crazy and senseless. I am accustom to Lindsey, Paris, and Nicole's ridiculous stunts and encounters with the law, and Britney's catastrophe of a dance routine was sadly not unexpected. For her sake, I hoped that she would have put all her effort forth in order to redeem herself from the unflattering reputation she has gained over the past few years, but no, she didn't. Maybe she was unaware that it was no longer rehearsal, and marking it wouldn't cut it? Maybe her costume designer felt is would be better to let everything hang out rather than cram everything into a tight jumpsuit? These burning questions will probably remain unsolved mysteries, but my real question is surprisingly not about Britney. It's about a young, deceivingly innocent, girl named Vanessa Hudgens. Star of the huge hit High School Musical, Vanessa felt it would be an attractive and, apparently, smart idea to send nude photos of herself over the Internet to her co-star and boyfriend Zac Efron. My questions for Miss Hudgens: "What were you thinking?" I mean seriously, you work for DISNEY! You starred in a movie made for pre-teens! Memorabilia with your face on it is sold at Libby Lu and Limited Two! Did you really think the internet is that secure that it wouldn't get out? The photo above is the absolute MILDEST of the bunch. She allegedly took these drastic measures in order to keep Zac interested, but unfortunately she probably will not only loose her boyfriend because of the photos, but also her career. Disney may claim that they are standing by her, but she will most definitely be loosing most of her fan base, and I have to imagine that Zac is being advised to separate himself from her in order to save his own reputation. It's really sad that young girls, who thought they found a respectable role model, will be learning from her in order to maintain a relationship you need to compromise and demean yourself for him.

Way back when

Think back to the good old days. The days when the word work meant doing chores, and your great concern was that Mom and Dad wouldn't let you stay out late enough to play. It seems like whenever the world starts getting to crazy and too adult, we start getting nostalgic and think about our favorite things of childhood. For me, I remember watching Ninja Turtles religiously with my best friend. I loved the TV show, the movie, and Michelangelo. Although now I may not be able to tell you a thing that happened in the show, I can still name all 4 of them like it was yesterday. Ninja Turtles may have been the exception, but I loved my dolls. I had Barbies galore. They all resided in a giant plastic bin, hair all knotted together, with the clothes, shoes and other accessories lost at the bottom. Then there were the American Girl dolls. These dolls were coveted away in their proper place. I had basically set up a miniature hotel room for them in the corner of my room. They were quite pampered dolls, I had a lot of the outfits and furniture, but in exchange they went everywhere with me. I wore they into the ground, eventually sending one to the doll hospital. Ask any girl about these dolls and I'm sure they had one. These childhood pleasures will always remain with us, even if they are long broken, lost, or given away. They are part of what shaped us and who we are today, but most of all they remind us of a simpler, more innocent time that is long since gone.

Walking Normandy

Even though I have a paid for the incredibly expensive parking pass, many days I still find myself having to park blocks away from campus. Although it is annoying leaving my apartment 40 minutes early, the 7 minute walk from my car on Normandy isn't that bad, sometimes even interesting. There are certain things that I come across everyday that catch my attention. There is one duplex that stands out like a sore thumb. Its modern architecture greatly contrasts with its neighbors. The residents of both sides of this duplex have some of the most untraditional art and furniture displayed in their living rooms. I am able to clearly see this not because I am creeping around in their bushes or anything, but because one huge window serves as the front of their homes. It's almost the equivalent of living in a fish tank. On the complete opposite end of the spectrum there is another residence hidden tightly behind a brick wall and gate. The thing that arises curiosity about this dwelling is the smell that hovers around the property. There is such a strong smell of trash... or decomposition... or something else wretched. At first I figured it must be trash day or close to it, but the smell hasn't disappeared as the days go by. Glancing through the iron gate I can only see cheap lawn chairs overturned and dying plants, so the mystery remains. Probably still pondering the mystery smell I'll sit and wait for the crosswalk to change. The minute it changes, time to run. I will have made three steps before the white, walking man disappears. How can anyone cross the street that fast? Grant it I may have short legs but I am pretty sure one of our SMU basketball players couldn't sprint across Hillcrest in that amount of time. Anyways, I have learned to appreciate my routine walk for what it has to offer; the little things that make life more interesting. I have even looked around my walk for inspiration. The weathered "no parking" spray-painted on the side of the road gave me the subject for my mind map.

The Power of Seven

I recently realized seven is an important number in my life. I am seven years older than my one and only cousin. Seven has always been my lucky number. It is year 2007... OK, I'm stretching it, but the most important correlation is there are seven girls in my group back home. These girls are my life. They were my best friends from growing up, and will be my best friends in the future. You name, and we have probably been through it together. We know each other inside and out, and can read each other like a book. Moving beyond the cheesy, cliché sayings of how well we know each, these girls inspire me. They motivate me to do my best, whether it is through friendly competition or supportive encouragement. I really look to them for approval because I know many times they are able to see things I am not. Each one of us is so immensely different that I believe they have helped me have a broader perspective and become a more well rounded person. With all of us spread through out the country in different colleges, it is amazing to me how we all may be changing in different directions but when we are reunited again, its like we never left each others sides.... and there I go again with the cheesy sayings....